Shelf for refrigerators, ovens, storage cabinets, and the like



Sept. 18-, 1951 lCKMAN 2,568,153

C. E. H SHELF FOR REFRIGERATORS, OVENS, STORAGE CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1945 Patented Sept. 18, 1951 SHELF FOR REFRIGERATORS, OVENS, STORAGE CABINETS, AND THE LIKE Charles E. Hickman, Adrian, Mich, assignor to Bohn Aluminum & Brass Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 26, 1945, Serial No. 584,961

Claims.

This invention relates to a shelf and to a method for producing the same. The shelf can be used in stoves, storage cabinets, etc. although it is particularly adapted for use in household refrigerators.

The invention relates to the type of shelf in which a plurality of crossbars have their ends attached to an outside frame and aim to porvide an improvement in the construction of the frame and in the attachment of the crossbars tothe frame.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the fact that the crossbars and frame are both formed from extruded metal section which can be economically produced. After these sections have been cut and suitably formed the crossbars are attached to the frame by mechanically deforming the sections and pressing them together so as to form very strong and rigid connections.

The process of producing the shelf involves only the steps of extruding the sections, sawing them to length, bending the frame, and mechanically deforming the parts to secure an interlock between the frame and the crossbars. These simple operations can be performed very economically, to produce a shelf of low cost, good rigidity'and durability, with attractive appearance.

These and other objective and advantage of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

While preferred forms of the invention are disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes in structure or method may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a shelf embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section showing a preferred shape for the extruded section used for the crossbars.

Figure 3 is a cross section of a preferred extruded shape used for the frame section.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one end of a crossbar after it has received it preliminary deformation.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partly in crosssection showing one end of a deformed crossbar assembled with the frame section prior to locking. I

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the parts after they have been locked.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation partly in V 2 cross-section showing the inside of the frame section and its connection to the crossbar.

Figure 8 shows cross sections vof alternate shapes for the crossbars.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 6, but illustrating a modified construction.

Referring to the drawings more particularly, the shelf of Fig. 1, which is a preferred construction, comprises a plurality of crossbars l0 supported by a frame II. The detail of con struction of the shelf can best be explained by following the method of its construction.

The. crossbars Ill illustrated are formed from an extruded section of substantially U shape as shown enlarged in Fig. 2, which can be extruded in mill lengths in a well-known manner. The frame is made from an extruded shape having the cross-section illustrated in Fig. 3. The shapes illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 may be extruded from any suitable material, the presently preferred material being commercially pure aluminum.

The frame H is formed by cutting off a suitable length of the frame section and bending it into a desired shape. such as the rectangular shape with rounded corners shown in Fig. 1. The meeting ends of the strip for the frame can be fastened together in any preferred manner such as by rivetin or welding.

Crossbars ill of suitable length are cut from the extruded crossbar section and each end of each crossbar is subjected to a preliminary deforming operation which gives it the shape illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. This preliminary deformation is done by pressing the end of the crossbar in a die in which an end section l2 of the top surface of the crossbar is depressed below the level of the remainder of the top wall and there is a depression or transverse groove l3 between the depressed end i2 and the remainder of the top wall. Another result of the preliminary deformation operation is that the ends of the side walls are pressed downwardly to form triangular extensions l4.

As will be clear from Figs. 3 and 5 the frame section as extruded includes a body l5 to which is attached a top flange l6 and the bottom extension I I. As extruded the top flange I6 extends at an obtuse angle from the side wall l5 although in its final position as illustrated in Fig. 6, it extends substantially at right angles to the side wall. The inner surface of the top wall l6 has a flat portion I8 of an extent equal to that of the depressed end ll of the crossbar and has a rib l9 which extends downwardly and is of a shape which corresponds to groove it formed in the crossbar Ill. The bottom extension II has a bottom flange which projects inwardly from the body i5 and carries on its upper surface a sloping face 20 which slopes upwardly away from body If at a steeper angle than the downward angle of the triangular extensions ll formed on the crossbar Ill. It will be seen that the frame section is substantially c-shaped" in cross-section, the flanges forming upper and lower jaws separated by a channel.

After the crossbars ill have received their preliminary deformation, which gives their ends the shape illustrated in Figure 4, they are inserted and properly positioned in the frame II with their ends in the channel and contacting the inner surface of body I! of the frame section as illustrated in Fig. 5. The assembly is then subjected to a deforming operation which deforms the parts from the position illustrated in Fig. 5 to that illustrated in Fig. 6. During this deforming operation the top flange ii of the frame section is pressed downwardly against the end of the crossbar I. so that the flat wall ll of the frame section contacts depressed end I! of the crossbar and the rib IQ of the frame section engages in groove I3 of the crossbar. Simultaneously the bottom extension of the frame section is pressed upwardly against the triangular extensions H of the crossbar and because the wall 20 is at a more acute angle than the lower ends of the triangular extensions ll, the outer edge of wall 20 is deformed around the triangular extensions H. as shown in Fig. 7 so as to lock the crossbars against lateral movement along the frame section.

The original shapes given to the extruded sections, together with the deformation to which they are subjected, results in the crossbars being held by a strong mechanical interlock which anchors them in the frame against movement in all directions. The frame is also stiffened and braced against distortion.

The extruded metal is in a wrought condition so that it can be deformed without injury to its structure and will retain permanently the deformation given to it. The end portion I! of the crossbar is depressed below the level of the remainder of the top wall of the crossbar for a distance corresponding to the thickness of the top wall I6 of the frame so that when the joint is in the final locked position of Fig. 6 the top surface of flange l6 of the frame is flush with the top surface of all of the crossbars l0. thus forming a smooth, level surface on the top of the shelf free from bumps or projections and across which objects may easily be moved.

The shelf thus produced may be given any suitable surface finish. If it is desired to have a polished finish on the shelf the polishing operation is preferably performed on the extruded strips for the crossbars and the frame section while they are in mill lengths. If it is desired to give the shelf an anodized finish, the anodizing operation is preferably performed after the shelf has been assembled. Other suitable finishes may be applied by methods well understood in the art.

In the form illustrated, the outer surface of the body l5 of the frame section is shown plain, but obviously it can be extruded with any desired ornamental shape or with grooves to receive ornamental strips.

In the preferred form disclosed above, the crossbars ID are shown as having a U shape,

4 but this shape may be varied within wide limits, possible cross-sectional shapes for the crossbars being illustrated in Fig. 8.

Certain variation is also permissable in the method of locking the ends of the crossbars to the frame section. Thus as illustrated in Fig. 9 a bottom extension 2| may project straight downwardly from side wall 15 when the frame section is extruded and this bottom extension may be bent around so as to engage the under side of the crossbars in the final deforming or looking operation. In this case the flange i6 may be extruded at right angles to the body l5, as the crossbars may be assembled upwardly past the bottom extension 2|.

The advantages and uses of the shelf and method disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the arts concerned.

I claim:

1. In a shelf of the type in which a plurality of crossbars have their ends mechanically attached to an outside frame. the improvement which comprises: each crossbar having at least one'end deformed so as to form an end section with its top surface depressed below the top surface of the main body of the crossbar, the crossbar being formed with a transverse groo e located between said depressed top surface and the top surface of the main body of the crossbar, the frame having a top flange which fits over said depressed portion and which carries a rib which engages in said transverse groove, the frame having a bottom flange which enages the bottom of the crossbar.

2. In a shelf of the type in which a plurality of crossbars have their ends mechanically attached to an outside frame, the improvement which comprises: each crossbar having at least one end deformed so as to form an end section with its top surface depressed below the top surface of the main body of the crossbar, the crossbar being formed with a transverse groove located between said depressed top surface and the top surface of the main body of the crossbar, the bottom of said deformed end being depressed below the bottom of the main body of the crossbar, the frame having a top flange which fits over said depressed portion and which carries a rib which engages in said transverse groove, the frame having a. bottom flange which engages and extends around the bottom of the crossbar.

3. In a shelf of the type in which a plurality of crossbars have their ends mechanically attached to an outside frame, the improvement which comprises: the upper surface of each crossbar being deformed at each end to form an area of top surface depressed below the top surface of the main body of the crossbar and a transverse groove located between said depressed surface and the top surface of the main body of the crossbar, the bottom of each crossbar being deformed downwardly at each end of the crossbar to form downward extensions, the frame having a top flange which fits over the depressed top areas of the crossbars and which carries a downwardly projecting rib which is engaged in the transverse grooves of the crossbars, the top surface of the top flange being flush with the top surfaces of the crossbars, the frame having a bottom flange which extends over the downward extensions of the crossbars and is deformed against the sides of said bottom extensions.

4. In a shelf of the type in which a plurality of crossbars have their ends mechanically attached to an outside frame, each crossbar carrying near. each end an area depressed below the top surface of the main body of the crossbar,

the frame having an upper flange which extends over the upper side of the crossbar and fits into the depressed area, the frame having a member which engages the under side of the crossbar; the improvement which comprises: said depressed area being formed with a transverse groove, and said upper flange carrying a rib and fitting into said depressed area with the rib fitting into the transverse groove, whereby the crossbar is securely anchored in the outside frame. 1

5. In a shelf of the type in which a plurality of crossbars have their ends mechanically attached to an outside frame, each crossbar carrying near each end an area depressed below the top surface of the main body of the crossbar, the frame having an upper flange with a flat under side which extends over the upper side of the crossbar and fits into the depressed area, the frame having a member which engages the under side of the crossbar; the improvement which 6, comprises: said depressed area including a flat portion and a transverse groove, said upper flange carrying a rib and fitting into said depressed area with the flat under side of the flange engaging the flat portion of the depressed area and with the rib fitting into the transverse groove, whereby the crossbar is securely anchored in the outside frame.

CHAS. E. HICKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 749,116 Valentine Jan. 5, 1904 1,184,309 Berson May 23, 1916 2,076,099 Smith et a1 Apr. 6, 1937 2,135,766 Pierce Nov. 8, 1938 2,264,120 MacDonald et a1. Nov. 25, 1941 2,274,125 Carney Feb. 24, 1942 2,309,212 Reeves Jan. 26, 1943 2,350,875 Carney June 6, 1944 2,407,721 Nauert Mar. 23, 1946 

